CEZ planning series of large photovoltaic projects in Czechia

Prague, Aug 10 (CTK) - Energy group CEZ plans to build photovoltaic power plants with a total capacity of 1,500 MW by 2025 and envisages plants with a total capacity of up to 6,000 MW by 2030, using locations near its existing plants as well as leased land, CFO Martin Novak said in an interview with CTK today.

In addition, the company is implementing renewable energy projects abroad.

In the Czech Republic, CEZ's focus is on photovoltaics, which is because of the domestic conditions and the lengthy permitting process for wind power plants, according to Novak.

One of CEZ's first planned photovoltaic projects should be built in Tusimice-Prunerov in the Usti nad Labem Region. It will include the largest photovoltaic power plant in the Czech Republic. It should have an installed capacity of up to 87.65 megawatts (MW), more than double the current largest solar power plant in the country. The entire project in Tusimice envisages several power plants with a total capacity of 243 MW, which will be connected to a single point.

At present, the company is building a large photovoltaic power plant near Krizany in the Liberec Region with a capacity of 4.3 MW.

In addition, CEZ has identified other locations for solar parks. "There is a large number of them, either in the area of our power plants and their surroundings or sites that are suitable for this purpose and we have them under lease agreements or option agreements," Novak said.

Other renewable energy projects are implemented abroad, especially in Central and Western Europe. CEZ is currently completing wind power plants in France and Germany.

According to its annual report, CEZ operated photovoltaic power plants with an installed capacity of 127 MW at the end of last year (126 MW in the Czech Republic and 1 MW in Italy).

In the interview with CTK, Novak also commented on the amount of gas in Europe. According to him, there is now enough gas and gas processing capacity on the European market and supplies are not at risk.

The current rise in wholesale gas prices is not out of line with normal seasonal fluctuations and cannot be compared to last year's jump in prices, Novak said. Europe's gas storage facilities will be full in August or September at the latest, and in addition, new liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals were being added, he noted.

tam/er